Streptococcus pyogenes antigens and corresponding DNA fragments

Abstract

The present invention relates to antigens more particularly antigens of Streptococcus pyogenes (also called group A Streptococcus (GAS)) bacterial pathogen which are useful as vaccine component for therapy and/or prophylaxis.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for producing a polypeptide comprising culturing an isolated host cell transfected with a vector comprising a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide, under conditions suitable for expression of the polypeptide, wherein the polynucleotide is operably linked to an expression control region, and wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least 90% identical to the full-length amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:8. 
     
     
       2. A process for producing a polypeptide comprising culturing an isolated host cell transfected with a vector comprising a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide, under conditions suitable for expression of the polypeptide, wherein the polynucleotide is operably linked to an expression control region, and wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least 90% identical to the full-length amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:10. 
     
     
       3. The process of  claim 1  wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to the full-length amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:8. 
     
     
       4. The process of  claim 1  wherein the polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:8. 
     
     
       5. The process of  claim 2  wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to the full-length amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:10. 
     
     
       6. The process of  claim 2  wherein the polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:10. 
     
     
       7. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the polypeptide comprises an N-terminal methionine residue. 
     
     
       8. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the polypeptide comprises a signal peptide amino acid sequence that comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:46. 
     
     
       9. The process of  claim 2 , wherein the polypeptide comprises an N-terminal methionine residue. 
     
     
       10. The process of  claim 2 , wherein the polypeptide comprises a signal peptide amino acid sequence that comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:47. 
     
     
       11. The process of  claim 7  wherein the N-terminal methionine residue of the polypeptide is deleted. 
     
     
       12. The process of  claim 8 , wherein the signal peptide amino acid sequence of the polypeptide is deleted. 
     
     
       13. The process of  claim 9  wherein the N-terminal methionine residue of the polypeptide is deleted. 
     
     
       14. The process of  claim 10 , wherein the signal peptide amino acid sequence of the polypeptide is deleted.